UPDATE-NOTE NATURE
Sheriff Grady Judd says 42-year-old Robert Simmons was taken into custody near a homeless camp in the Eloise section of Winter Haven. Judd said Simmons, who has a long criminal record, killed the victim after the two got into an argument over the man masturbating in front of other people in the camp. "Our suspect here didn't appreciate that, and really didn't appreciate that he was doing it in front of ladies, so he warned him to quit it. But he didn't."
The second time, Judd said Simmons beat the victim, and killed him the third time. "That took care of the problem," Judd said. "But now our suspect is facing the rest of his life in prison."
Judd said the victim actually had a longer criminal record than his killer did. "This illustrates to everyone," Judd said, "These are two homeless people with huge criminal records. Maybe someone would have made a value judgment--'we'll get to it when we can.' That's not the way we do things here. We searched to recover the deceased victim as if he were a relative of the President of the United States."
Judd said Simmons gave up without a fight when he was captured this morning. He said detectives received numerous tips from those in the encampment about Simmons' whereabouts.
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We're expecting to get more information later today on the capture of a murder suspect in Polk County.
Sheriff Grady Judd says Robert Simmons was taken into custody this morning in the Eloise area of Winter Haven. Judd will hold a news conference at 2:30 to talk about Simmons' capture and his suspected involvement in the homicide.
photo: Polk County Sheriff's Office